Carnival Corporation has expanded its presence in the Caribbean with an $85 million purpose built port opening in the Dominican Republic for the beginning of October 2015.
The Caribbean’s newest destination, Amber Cove, is located in the Dominican Republic on the Bay of Maimon near Puerto Plata on the country’s north coast. However the port is perhaps more famously known as the filming site for the hit movie Jurassic Park!
The development represents the largest cruise industry investment ever made in the Dominican Republic and will feature a two berth port, enabling it to accommodate the largest cruise vessels in operation today.
The port already has cruise visits lined up with Carnival Cruise line, Costa cruises, Cunard, Holland America and P&O all scheduling visits for late this year or early next. The new port will allow for expanded itinerary options and will also feature an extensive shore excursion programme in the Caribbean. This programme will offer around forty varied experiences including beach visits, water sports and local culinary offerings.
The Amber Coast will give cruise passengers a new exotic location to explore. It enables cruise lines to make stops which haven’t been used in itineraries since the 1980s, potentially including stops in Cuba (you can read here about how Cuba is opening up to the cruise market again).
Amber cove itself will offer a Waterfront Welcome centre, an array of retail stores, a marketplace for Dominican crafts and souvenirs including a wide range of unique food and beverages. The single largest component of the port- the transportation hub, will provide visitors with easy access both on land and sea to surrounding attractions and destinations. With a recreational area that features a pool, splash zone and green space areas included with the port.
Giora Israel, senior vice president of global port and destination development for Carnival Corporation, says; “There are several markets that are becoming increasingly important to the cruise industry, but today the Caribbean is the single largest share of our business, We are constantly looking for new ways for our guests to enjoy their cruise experience, and it is always exciting to add new destinations to our itineraries, especially in the Caribbean where many of our passengers have been before. We are confident that our guests will love visiting Amber Cove, which we believe will quickly become a very popular port of call for our guests. And because Amber Cove is easily accessible, it will give our guests a convenient gateway to the Puerto Plata region, which is spectacular. And importantly, Amber Cove will allow us to offer our guests a new option in our Caribbean itineraries.”
The opening of the port will be accompanied by a visit from the company’s carnival cruise line brand on October 6th, 2015. Five other additional Carnival Corporation brands are scheduled to make calls on Amber Cove. These are:
Cunard Queen Mary 2- November 22nd
P&O Cruises – December 5th
AIDA Cruises – December 11th
Costa Cruises- December 31st
Holland America Line- January 19th
